The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 2:8 Explained

1 Corinthians 2:8

KJV: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

YLT: which no one of the rulers of this age did know, for if they had known, the Lord of the glory they would not have crucified;

Darby: which none of the princes of this age knew, (for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;)

ASV: which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which  none  of the princes  of this  world  knew:  for  had they known  [it], they  would  not  have crucified  the Lord  of glory. 

What does 1 Corinthians 2:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The rulers of this age are probably the intellectual trend-setters Paul mentioned above ( 1 Corinthians 2:7). Those responsible for the death of Christ were members of this group (cf. Acts 3:17-18; Acts 4:25-28). If they had understood the central place that Jesus Christ occupied in God"s plan, they would not have crucified Him, thus assuring their own doom (cf. Luke 23:34).
"The key [1] is 1 Corinthians 2:8. The rulers of this age (whether understood as political and religious figures or as apocalyptic powers) demonstrated their ignorance of divine wisdom when they crucified the Lord of glory. The very mention of the crucifixion shows the argument very much in continuity with the preceding section and reminds us that the wisdom of God, which is incomprehensible to the world, is nothing other than the word of the cross ( 1 Corinthians 1:23-24)." [2]
The phrase "Lord of glory" implies the divine fullness. It also ties in with the saints" glory ( 1 Corinthians 2:7). It is through union with Him that we will experience glory.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 - God's Wisdom Spiritually Revealed
The perfect are those who are full grown and matured in Christian experience. They need strong meat. For them there are blessed unveilings of the secret things of God, such as the profoundest thinkers of this world have never reached. The words in 1 Corinthians 2:9 must not be applied to heaven alone; in their first intention they belong to us in this mortal life. The human eye that has seen the fairest of earth's things, and the ear that has heard the sweetest strains of human melody, have never experienced the depths of enjoyment of those who have found the love of God in Christ. They who know Christ should not be content with the mere rudiments of the gospel, but should follow on to know those deeper things which evade men who are merely clever, but are revealed to those who are really good.
There are two types of men. There is the spiritual man, whose spirit is the temple and dwelling-place of the Spirit of God. He knows the thoughts of God, because he has a living union with the eternal Mind. And there is the natural man, possessing merely the intellect and conscience of ordinary humanity. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 2

1  Paul declares that his preaching,
4  though it bring not excellence of speech, or of human wisdom,
5  yet consists in the power of God;
6  and so far excels the wisdom of this world, that the natural man cannot understand it

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 2:8

Knoweth [εγνωκεν]
Has known, has discerned, perfect active indicative of γινωσκω — ginōskō They have shown amazing ignorance of God‘s wisdom. [source]
For had they known it [ει γαρ εγνωσαν]
Condition of the second class, determined as unfulfilled, with aorist active indicative in both condition Peter in the great sermon at Pentecost commented on the “ignorance” The Lord of glory (τον Κυριον της δοχης — ton Kurion tēs doxēs). Genitive case δοχης — doxēs means characterized by glory, “bringing out the contrast between the indignity of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) and the majesty of the Victim (Luke 22:69; Luke 23:43)” (Robertson and Plummer). See James 2:1; Acts 7:2; note on Ephesians 1:17; and Hebrews 9:5. [source]
The Lord of glory [τον Κυριον της δοχης]
Genitive case δοχης — doxēs means characterized by glory, “bringing out the contrast between the indignity of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) and the majesty of the Victim (Luke 22:69; Luke 23:43)” (Robertson and Plummer). See James 2:1; Acts 7:2; note on Ephesians 1:17; and Hebrews 9:5. [source]
Lord of glory []
The Lord whose attribute is glory. Compare Psalm 29:1; Acts 7:2; Ephesians 1:17; James 2:1. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 2:8

Matthew 21:3 The Lord [ὁ κύριος]
From κῦρος , supreme power, authority. Hence κύριος , one having authority, lord, owner, ruler. In classical Greek, used of the gods, and in inscriptions applied to different gods, as Hermes, Zeus, etc.; also of the head of the family, who is lord ( κύριος ) of the wife and children (1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18), and κύριος (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1). In the Septuagint it is used by Sarah of her husband (Genesis 3:6). Joseph is called lord of the country (Genesis 18:27; Exodus 4:10). In the New Testament it is a name for God (Matthew 1:20, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 1:24; Matthew 2:15; Acts 11:16; Acts 12:11, Acts 12:17; Revelation 1:8). As applied to Christ, it does not express his divine nature and power. These are indicated by some accompanying word or phrase, as my God (John 20:28); of all (Acts 10:36); to the glory of God the Father (Philemon 2:11); of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8); so that, as a title of Christ, Lord is used in the sense of Master or Ruler, or in address, Sir (Matthew 22:43, Matthew 22:45; Luke 2:11; Luke 6:46; John 13:13, John 13:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6). Ὁ κύριος , the Lord, is used of Christ by Matthew only once (Matthew 21:3) until after the resurrection (Matthew 28:6). In the other gospels and in the Acts it occurs far oftener. Nevertheless, in the progress of Christian thought in the New Testament, the meaning develops toward a specific designation of the divine Saviour, as may be seen in the phrases Jesus, Christ our Lord, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Jesus our Lord. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Acts 3:17 I wot [οιδα]
Old English for “I know.” In ignorance (κατα αγνοιαν — kata agnoian). This use of κατα — kata occurs in the Koiné. See also Philemon 1:14. One may see note on Luke 23:34 for the words of the Saviour on the Cross. “They had sinned, but their sin was not of so deep a dye that it could not have been still more heinous” (Hackett). If they had known what they were doing, they would not knowingly have crucified the Messiah (1 Corinthians 2:8). [source]
Acts 3:17 In ignorance [κατα αγνοιαν]
This use of κατα — kata occurs in the Koiné. See also Philemon 1:14. One may see note on Luke 23:34 for the words of the Saviour on the Cross. “They had sinned, but their sin was not of so deep a dye that it could not have been still more heinous” (Hackett). If they had known what they were doing, they would not knowingly have crucified the Messiah (1 Corinthians 2:8). [source]
1 Corinthians 8:3 The same is known of Him [οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπ ' αὐτοῦ]
The same, i.e., this same man who loves God. He does not say knows God, but implies this in the larger truth, is known by God. Compare Galatians 4:9; 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:19. Γινώσκω in New-Testament Greek often denotes a personal relation between the knower and the known, so that the knowledge of an object implies the influence of that object upon the knower. So John 2:24, John 2:25; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 John 4:8. In John the relation itself is expressed by the verb. John 17:3, John 17:25; 1 John 5:20; 1 John 4:6; 1 John 2:3, 1 John 2:4, 1 John 2:5. [source]
Galatians 4:9 Rather are known of God []
Rather corrects the first statement, have known God, which might seem to attach too much to human agency in attaining the knowledge of God. The divine side of the process is thrown into the foreground by are known, etc. Known does not mean approved or acknowledged, but simply recognized. Saving knowledge is doubtless implied, but is not expressed in the word. The relation of knowledge between God and his sons proceeds from God. The Galatians had not arrived at the knowledge of God by intuition nor by any process of reasoning. “God knew them ere they knew him, and his knowing them was the cause of their knowing him” (Eadie). Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Timothy 2:19; Matthew 7:23. Dean Stanley remarks that “our knowledge of God is more his act than ours.” If God knows a man, that fact implies an activity of God which passes over to the man, so that he, as the subject of God's knowledge, comes into the knowledge of God. In N.T. γινώσκειν often implies a personal relation between the knower and the known, so that knowledge implies influence. See 1 Corinthians 2:8; John 1:10; John 2:24; John 17:3. For a parallel to this interchange between the active and the passive, see Philemon 3:12. [source]
Ephesians 1:17 Father of glory [ὁ πατὴρ τῆς δόξης]
The Father to whom the glory belongs. Note the article, the glory, preeminently. Compare Acts 7:2; 1 Corinthians 2:8. See Psalm 18:3, “who is worthy to be praised;” where the Hebrew is is praised. The exact phrase has no parallel in Scripture. [source]
Ephesians 1:17 The Father of glory [ο πατηρ της δοχης]
The God characterized by glory (the Shekinah, Hebrews 9:5) as in Acts 7:2; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 1:3; James 2:1. [source]
James 2:1 The Lord of glory []
Compare 1 Corinthians 2:8; Acts 7:2; Ephesians 1:17. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 2:8 mean?

which none of the rulers the age of this has understood if for they had understood [it] not - the Lord - of glory they would have crucified
ἣν οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἔγνωκεν εἰ γὰρ ἔγνωσαν οὐκ ἂν τὸν Κύριον τῆς δόξης ἐσταύρωσαν

οὐδεὶς  none 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀρχόντων  rulers 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄρχων  
Sense: a ruler, commander, chief, leader.
αἰῶνος  age 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: αἰών  
Sense: for ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity.
τούτου  of  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἔγνωκεν  has  understood 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ἔγνωσαν  they  had  understood  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ἂν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
Κύριον  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δόξης  of  glory 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: δόξα  
Sense: opinion, judgment, view.
ἐσταύρωσαν  they  would  have  crucified 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: σταυρόω  
Sense: to stake, drive down stakes.